The weight was nearly unbearable. Why was he doing this? Why...why would he try and hurt her?! "Sebastian, stop, please!" She cried out, her arms trembling as they tried to hold her up.

"Pathetic. Truly pathetic," his voice rumbled above her. "You can't save yourself now. You're going to die, Kadence. They all know it. And you should know it too."

She hesitated now, the voice sounding sympathetic. "What...what are you talking about?" She demanded, the weight from her being lifted. Sebastian's crimson eyes stared down at her, but at the same time, they were not his eyes. It was as if someone was wearing his skin. 

"After what that demon, Claude, did to you, it'd take a miracle to keep you alive. And yet, they've been nursing you back to health for over a week now."

The Borrower's eyes widened as images flowed into her mind. Claude's hands, the world rushing past her, and a soft cry escaped her lips. "No! No, I won't die! You aren't Sebastian, a-are you?!"

"Not precisely, no. I'm a combination of what you feel for him. Your subconscious, it created me as motivation. You wish to prove yourself to him. You wish to earn his affections. So here I am. Your body's way of trying to convince you to fight for your life. And I must say, you've done one Hell of a job so far."

"I-I can fight it," Kadence pushed herself to her feet, gazing up at 'Sebastian' with a frown. "I'm not going to die. I'm going to live."

A faint smirk crossed the handsome features that stared down at her, and he cracked his knuckles. "I'm not going to make it easy for you. Your body was severely damaged."

Kadence prepared herself, inhaling sharply. "I'm ready."

---------------------------------------------------------------

It was a chilly evening, cold enough for frost to form on the well-kept lawn outside the Phantomhive mansion. The windows were glazed over with a thin sheet of ice. When winter arrived, it was always obvious. Nobody had to step outside to feel the crisp air for proof, the proof always appeared in the form of frozen water clinging to any available surface.

Sebastian stood in Ciel's room, pulling on the Earl's white nightshirt and delicately doing up the buttons. He worked swiftly, his ruby-colored eyes watching what he was doing, but made it obvious his mind wasn't on his duties. 

"Will you be warm enough for the night? Or shall I light the fireplaces?" He questioned calmly, removing the black eyepatch from around the boy's head and placing it upon the nightstand.

Ciel's gaze flickered momentarily to his butler, a quiet sigh passing his lips. "The covers will be warm enough for tonight. It isn't as cold as it can get. I'll call you if I change my mind." Climbing into his large, plush bed, he settled himself down. His eyes once more wandered over to Sebastian, who was pulling the thick blankets up over him. "You look lost again."

"Hm?" Sebastian looked to Ciel and sighed heavily, a breathy chuckle passing over his lips. "No, my mind is simply elsewhere. As it has been for days. Forgive me."

"You are forgiven," Ciel let out his own soft sigh, letting his head melt into the soft pillow beneath him. "Do I have any guests scheduled for tomorrow?"

"Only if Lord Trancy shows up unexpected again to visit Kadence," Sebastian responded, picking up the candleabra from the nightstand and blew out the dim flames. 

The two shared a quiet, comfortable silence. Ciel knew Sebastian was lost in thought again, while the butler stood in his place, staring out the large window into the night sky. It was a clear night, besides the frost and cold. Kadence probably never got to simply sit and enjoy the stars. She probably never got to sit and enjoy a lot of things at her size, and with how much she was in hiding. He made a promise to himself that when she woke up, he'd shower her in everything he could give her. Which, was indeed, almost everything.

"Mr. Sebastian, Mr. Sebastian!" Finnian burst through the door, startling both the demon and Ciel. Ciel jolted upright in his bed, shooting one hand up to cover the contract seal in his eye.

"Finny, you know better that this," Sebastian walked forward with a frown. He wasn't angry with the boy, in fact he seemed to be in an almost panicked state. "What is going on?"

Finny's cyan colored eyes stared up at Sebastian, and his face broke out into a wide, happy grin. "She's awake! She's awake, Meyrin is with her now, but she asked where you were!"

Sebastian's fingers released the candleabra, and it loudly clattered to the floor. His crimson eyes stared down at the blonde, reaching forward and firmly grasping his shoulders. "You're positive she wasn't simply mumbling in her unconscious state?"

Finnian grin's only widened, and he took Sebastian's hands in his. "Her eyes are open and everything!"

The tall man felt his insides churn in delight, and he turned to face Ciel with wide eyes. "My Lord, I-"

Ciel interrupted, pushing himself out of bed. Nightshirt or not, he would accompany him to her room, after he got his eyepatch back on of course. "Go to her." He mumbled with a faint chuckle.

With that, Sebastian left the room, running his way through the halls. She was awake. She was asking for him. But most importantly, she was awake! His thin lips twitched into a small smile, and when he arrived at the guest bedroom, he didn't hesitate as he threw the door open. 

Meyrin turned to face him and smiled happily, clasping her hands in front of her. "Sir."

Sebastian slowly approached the bed, breathing heavily and gazed down at the tiny woman laying on the pillow. Part of him expected her to still be still, lying there with a peaceful expression, eyes shut. Instead, however, a pair of emerald orbs turned to gaze up at him. "Meyrin, would you kindly leave us?" He requested softly, and the maid, with a gentle nod, left the room to give them some privacy. 

"S-Sebastian," she whispered, her voice nearly inaudible. "Th-The mansion...C-Claude-"

"Hush, my dear," Sebastian slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching forward and placed his finger against the side of her face. She was still just a little warm, but much less than she'd been when they'd first brought her back to the mansion. "You needn't worry about him any longer, I handled it myself."

"A-Alois!" Her eyes widened and she attempted to push herself up, but he used a finger to gently hold her down. 

"The Lord Trancy is healing, and alive. I promise you." Everything in him wanted to scoop her up, hold her close, but he resisted. He didn't want to harm her if she was still in any pain. His words calmed her too, for she leaned back into the pillow. Her eyes narrowed fondly, and she smiled. 

It was hard to hold himself together at the sight of seeing her smile once more. Something he feared he'd never get to see again. Her tiny hands lifted to hold his finger that still rested on her cheek, and her head turned to the side to nuzzle against the glove. The exhaustion on her face was still evident, but he wouldn't tell her to sleep just yet. 

"How are you feeling?" He murmured in a low voice, pushing her hair back with his other hand then also tucked the sheets back around her. 

"E-Everything aches," Kadence watched him closely, looking almost afraid of him, unsure of his touch. "Y-You're...y-you're really you, right? I'm a-awake? I-I'm...I-I'm...alive?" She'd fought, and she'd fought. She wondered, had she truly done it?

Sebastian's brows furrowed as he gazed down at her, concern filling his expression. "Kadence, of course I am really me. And yes, you're alive, you're awake, thank goodness. We were all terribly worried you wouldn't wake up."

"Th-That's what he said. Th-That you thought I was going to die." Kadence leaned further into the hand that rested beside her. She was incredibly sore, but she felt victorious. She'd done it.

"He said? Who said? My darling little thief, what are you on about?" Pulling his hand away from her, he again used his finger to check her temperature, just in case.

Kadence slowly closed her eyes, painfully laughing to herself. "I-I have a lot to fill you in on."